Wild or Alpine Strawberries

We've been clearing the trash out of the forest left by the previous owners, and I've been contemplating how to add more food plants. I'm wondering how wild or alpine strawberries do in forested areas?

I'm in zone 8a, so it gets really hot in the summer, but the forested part of our yard should stay fairly cool. All the junk they left caused some large bald spots. This is my first property that had any decent space for growing things, so I'm totally new and trying to figure out how to heal up the damage while adding some edibles. Have about an acre of forest. Will probably add some other plants, too, but still researching the native plants.

Hi!

Not sure where you are in zone 8, but wen I lived down by coastal California every wooded stream was full of black berried. They were invasive, so of course we collected the fruit and seed to reduce the spread. Yummy.

I've only grown alpine in full sun in northern climates. They do quite well here. They don't like it too hot though. They stop producing mid-summer. In fact, most CA strawberries are grown along the coast where it is a little cooler in summer, so maybe that's a strawberry thing. There are many varieties though, so you may find a heat-lover.

Depending on your pH, you might want to check out blue berries or service berries. Consider though, less sun typically means less food production.

You might want to check out miner's lettuce.

Citrus are shade tolerant and produce even if indoors half the year, so they would probably be okay in a deciduous forest, as long as it's frost-free. Moringa is another people like, but it doesn't like frosts.

This is hard to predict without a little more info.  Also, everyone's favorite forest edible: MUSHROOMS!!!

I live in a similar zone, but in the mountains, the other side of the globe. I grow and sell alpine strawberry plants. I find that they do good in sun and half shade actually I have some in full shade and it is OK. They dont bear as heavily than the other strawberry and I would see them more like a groundcover. There are cultivars which have bigger fruit. The advantage is that the fruit stays off the ground and the slugs can't get them. Many medicinal herbs grow in shade too.

Amit Enventres wrote:This is hard to predict without a little more info.  Also, everyone's favorite forest edible: MUSHROOMS!!!

I'm in eastern Georgia. Very acidic soil. We have lots of native blackberries all over here, but I always see them in full sun. They also tend to take over everything. I tried blueberries at our old house and had terrible luck with them, but I'm sure it was my mistake. I've been meaning to visit the extension office,  which is only a couple miles away, but haven't yet.

We have some mystery berries in the sideyard that I am not sure what they are, and they fell off before I could ID them fully, but they looked like currants.

I am thinking mushrooms might be a later addition when I have a little more experience under my belt, and when the bald spots are a little healthier. The former owners really tore up the ground pretty badly.

Angelika Maier wrote:I live in a similar zone, but in the mountains, the other side of the globe. I grow and sell alpine strawberry plants. I find that they do good in sun and half shade actually I have some in full shade and it is OK. They dont bear as heavily than the other strawberry and I would see them more like a groundcover. There are cultivars which have bigger fruit. The advantage is that the fruit stays off the ground and the slugs can't get them. Many medicinal herbs grow in shade too.

I was looking at one spot edging the trees but should get some sun and thinking it would be nice covered in berry bushes. That sounds like it might be a better spot.

I really appreciate everyone's help. I will look into everything everyone suggests.